How should I position my wrist when sitting at my workstation?  An ergonomic specialist will usually recommend positioning the wrist in a neutral position. 

But, what does this mean?

Keeping the wrist in a neutral posture means keeping the wrist aligned with the forearm.  You should be able to draw a straight line from your elbow to your palm.   When typing or using a mouse, your palm should not face the screen but the floor.

How can I accomplish this?

Most ergonomic specialist will say that ergonomic consulting is like Jenga.  You try to remove one piece, but always have to be careful that another section does not tip.  A person who simply follows the words, “Keep your wrist aligned with your forearm” might have to raise his or her shoulders or sit far from the desk.  This can lead to uncomfortable positions, shoulder, and back pain.

As with all things ergonomics, you need to make adjustment based on your own height, work habits, and regularly used computer equipment.  When we say keep the wrist in a  “neutral position,”  your shoulders, as well, should be in a relaxed position, not raised. Your elbow should be close to your body and positioned at about a 90-110 degree angle.  You should have your elbows above or level with the keyboard and mouse.  To accomplish this, you might need to use an adjustable keyboard tray or raise the height of your chair.  Sometimes, simply removing the legs of your keyboard can contribute to level wrist posture.   I would definitely play around with the height of your chair (maybe raising it a few inches) to try and achieve level elbow and wrist posture.  Use trial and error.  You should always adjust the equipment you own first before purchasing a new keyboard tray.

As an ergonomic consultant specializing in office ergonomics, when I am asked the question, “What is the correct position for my wrist?” I will say, “Keep it in the neutral position.  Let’s try to get you in this neutral position without impinging on the other aspects of good posture. “

Thanks for reading,

Shaul Lent CEAS, MA, OTR/L
Lead Ergonomic Specialist
Ergonomics Advnace

Wrist Stretches?

Which exercises help reduce wrist discomfort?  What is the most important stretch I can do to relieve the discomfort in my wrist?

When I perform an ergonomic assessment, I will often notice that the more clients use their wrist during computer tasks the more chance they will experience discomfort.  This is especially true for those who spend the majority of their day in front of a computer or a tablet.  In the beginning of the day,  a client might not experience soreness.  But, as the day progresses, the discomfort increases.  What can a client do to decrease this discomfort?  Is there are quick-fix, an exercise that you can perform?    As an ergonomic specialist trying to alleviate discomfort in the workplace, we will usually recommend developing a stretching routine for the wrist.  One exercise I often recommend is nerve gliding exercises (Note: If you have recent health problems, injury, surgery or if these exercises cause you more pain, consult with an ergonomic expert before continuing as you might not be performing the exercise correctly).  For this exercise, first make a fist and bring that fist near your face.  Next open your hand gently with your palm facing your face.  Then, slowly bend your wrist away from your face and hold this position for a few seconds. Repeat five times.  Depending on your needs, the ergonomic consultant will provide a range of other stretches as well as other nerve gliding exercises.  This should relieve some of the pain in your wrist, at least temporarily.

Though this should help, one should always realize that exercise is not everything.  No exercise, alone, can permanently relieve wrist discomfort.  During the ergonomic evaluation, we will often notice that the root of this aggravation is cause by repetitive motions.  An ergonomic consultant will often notice how the wrist is bent forward and increasing the aggravation.  Imagine the nerve in your wrist as a cord used to charge a cell phone.  If you continuously bend that cord, day after day, eight hours a day, the cord will probably become damaged.  It will be difficult to charge your phone as the connection between the phone and outlet is interrupted.  We can think of the wrist in the same way.  The more we place the wrist in awkward postures especially when using the mouse constantly, the more the messages going from our brain to our wrist and fingers is interrupted.  Discomfort is the result.  To solve the problem, an ergonomic specialist will need to adjust the workstation so that the wrist is placed in a more neutral position (See this post for more details about working in an ergonomically sound neutral posture).  The wrist and palm should be completely aligned with your forearm when mousing. The “cord” should not bend. This could be a very inexpensive proposal.  It might require the employee to adjust the way he or she is positioned and grasping the mouse.  Or, it might require the employer to purchase ergonomic equipment to allow the employee to grasp the mouse while keeping the wrist in a neutral position.  It all depends on the individual client, their current workstation, and the computer or tablet equipment they are currently using.  This is where an ergonomic consultant can help.  We each interface with our computers or tablets differently.  Each person is different and no two wrists are the same.  In order to truly solve a problem, recommendations from a ergonomic specialist is key to making the appropriate adjustments to relieve discomfort.

Thanks for reading,

Shaul Lent CEAS, MA, OTR/L

Sources:

Cooper, C.,  Fundamentals of Hand Therapy (Mosby Inc: 2007)